Folding crate.



E. A. BLEMAN.

FOLDING CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.21,1909.

Patented Mar. 22, 1910.

B SHEETS-#SHEET 2.

E. A. ABLEMAN.

FOLDING CRATE.

APPLIUATION FILED A4116.21, 1909.

Pateted Mar.22,1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EPHRAIM A. ABLEMAN, OF GHEEN, MNNESOTA.

FOLDING CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led August 21, 1909. Serial No. 514,053.

compactlv folded when empty, Jfor return i shipment.

A further object is to provide a folding i collapsible crate, for shipping poultry, produce, and other merchandise, so constructed that in its unfolded condition, there is provided a Iirm, secure and rigid structure. which can be readil)v folded when not in use.

Yith these and other objects in view,` the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement` of parts as will be i agonall)v through these members l and 3l hereinafter more fullyv described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim7 it being understood that changes in the speeitic structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claim without departing from the spirit of the invention.

ln the drawings forming a part oi' this speeitieation, and in which like numerals ot' reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure l is a 'front view of the crate vin its unfolded condition. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view through ltig. l. Fig. 3 is a top view. Fig. Je is an end view. Fig. is an edge view ot the 'Folded crate. Fig. (i is a view of thtl crate in a partly unfolded condition. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view showing the method of securing the lid. Fig. S is a horizontal sectional view 011 line 8 -8 of Fig. l.

ln cariving out the object ot my invention` lY construct a crate comprising a tront, bach. two similar sides and a top and a bottom. The front ol' the crate in the form ot a rectangular trame comprising the two vertical members tl and 10 in the torni ot battons.y which are connected b v means ot' the cross strips 11, l2 and '13. As shown, the cross strips are mortised within the side members 9 and 10, the uppermost stri i 'li being held flush with the upper end oi the side men'lbers, while the lower strip l2 is held a suitable distance above the bottom end ot the battens. rl`he member J is rectangular in cross section, while the batteu lt) has its outer edge beveled as shown at T. The beveled edge batteu iti carries the c vebolt 6, while the opposite batten f) carries the hinge The cross strips l1 and 13 of this front section each have an opening within which is revoluhlv held a locking member, made ot' bar iron and comprising the crank 4 from which extend the two similar straight sections l and 3, the upper section 3 ending in the locking stem This locking member is arranged so that the same will slide longitudinally within the openings carrying the same. Hingedl)r secured to this front section is a side section, comprising the two side battens, 33 and conneeted b v means of the cross strips Sl() and 3l, and the intermediate battens 32. The side batten Si is bevel edged and carries the eye-bolt (3 arranged to engage the eyebolt (l carried by the hatten itl, so thaty these two members itl and il are hingedlhv connected. s shown, the eye-bolts extend dito insure a tirm connection. cross strip El() ends llush with the side battens Si) and 311-. as does the bottom cross strip 251. which, hon-'ever` is provided with the carrying cleatY 3l which extends in 'ard a suitable distance and is provided with a hinge .3 so that the bottom o with which the hinge 43 is also connected may be folded against the inner tace ol this side section. The bottom.` as shown. is [.)rovided with the hook l2", while t the side hatten upon the inside is provided with the socket 42V. into which laterallyY extends the locking stein 5l o'l the bar lori; which is provided with the stop end 5'. Bv means of the staples 5t, this locking member is secured to the upper cross strip which is transversely slotted, to receive the side members ot the locking mechanism. as shown. `Secured to the outer edge oli the bottom 8b is the locking hook 53.

Secured to the side betten il by means of the hinges 5. is a side member comprising the two vertical battens1 19 and 20. which are eonnerted by means ot the cross strips lo. IT and 1S, arranged as are the members of the opposite side section. The lower cross strip 1T is, however. provided with the inwardlyV directed supporting cleat 19, upon which the forward edge ot the bottom 3o rests when said bottom is in its carrying position. 'In order to support this bottom at its opposite end and below the hinges 43,

Patented Mar. 22, 1910.

l also provide the opposite side set-tion with an inwardlyv direeted carrying eleat ill'.

The .side member earries the eye-bolt 56 eoiineeted to the o ,ve-bolt 5L carried by the baek of the crate. This veitieal eleat 2t) of the side nien'iber is also bevel edgedi ivliile the lower eross strip 1T upon the iuside and just above the cleat is provided with the staple arranged to he engaged liv the hook earried by the bottoni, as disclosed. llingedl)r seeiired to this side member, is the haelt. this haelt Comprising the two similar side battons Ztl and QT, coniieeted b v means of the cross strips above and 25 below, and strengthened by means of the intermediately positioned cross strips 223 and 2(3'. s disclosed, the nieniber lo also bevel edged so that the saine may be held against the side nieiiiher Qtl :it right angles in a locked position.

The bottom member or eross strip upon the inside is provided with a groove ($0 within which is held the staple GL this staple being engaged b v the hook 4;, earried hy the bottom 3G. Projecting from the outer edge of the hatten 2T is the Staple TO arranged to enter a slot and be engaged h y the locking stem 51, so that the back is seein-ed to the side section in a firm and secure manner.

Passing through a lengthwise positioned bore within the upper cross strip of the haek is the bar T3. this top frame member hating suitable transverse slots Tl making the ha' aeeessible therethrough. Pivotall),Y carried upon the bar 733 are two elongated links Tfq these links at their remaining ends being held upon the bar TG passing through the lid or top 3'?, this top also having two aeeess slots TT. as shown. By this means the lid BT may be folded upon the inner faee of the baeli.

Vroni the foregoing it will be seen that the veitieal members of the crate. are liii'igedl)Y eonneeted iii sueh a iiianiier that the top or lid folds against the inner fare of the haelt. the bark in tiirn folding upon the outer fare of the side ineniben the front in turn folding upon the inner fare of this side member. while the remaining side seetioii folds upon the outer faire of the iront pt-tion. the bottoni tinall),v folding against aiul elosing the inner fa ee ofthe side sei-tion.

5)' this nie-ans. when the erate n'ieinbers are folded l provide a fii'nilv united. igoinpael mass. Iii their folded eonditiontlie members are held toggethei b v anyv suitable n `ans. AS the hooks lf and .75 firmly engage within the staples 31 and lt). the bottoni is tirmlv held to its proper position. The erate ina)Y be l'olded or unfolded with ease` aeeuraey and despati-h,y and in its folded position` the bottoni 3i? is i'iroteeted by the projet-ting rai'- r viiig eleat *It` as diselosed.

lit will be understood that anir suitable means for hingiiig the seetions of the devii-e together nia v be used in plaee of the eyebolts as deseribed.

And having thus deseribed ni)r said invention` what l elaim as new and desire to eure b v llnited States Letters Patent is:

eriite having in eonibinatiion.` a front seetioii eoinpiising a ieet'angiilar frame with one of its .'eitieal edges beveled` a side :seetion roi'nprising a rectangular frame having one of its edges beveled and hinged to the beveled edge of the front (sfeetlion so that said side seet'ion folds upon the outer fai-e of said front seetioiL a solid square bottom hinged to the lower inner end of said fseetion isrinitiling (said bottoni to Jfold against the inner fare of said side seetioii. a seeond side uieniber having one of its vertieal edge's beveled` said lside member being hinged to Said front sei-tion so that said side member will fold upon the inner fare of said front seetion` a reetangiilar bat-hr seetioii having :i i'ertieal beveled edge hingedlyv secured to the beveled edge of said side nieniber and :'irranged to fold upon the outer fave of said ,side nien'il'ier. means to sei'ure said biiek to said side seetioii. a rei-(angular lid arrangeil to fold upon the inner faee of said bark.` elongated links pivotaliv loeated within slots formed iii the upper edge of the top and haring their lower ends inovablv seeiired within suitable aeeess slots formed in the upper edge of the haelt.y a staple earried by said haelt. a hook seeiii'ed to said bottoni to engage said staple` and batteiis sei-iii'ed to the opposite side .seetions and projeeting in` \v:irdl v iherefroiii upon wliieh the bottom is adapted to rest.

Yiii test'iiiiony whereof l attiX in v signaturer` in presi-nee of two witnesses.

lllll'itlNl HLMN.

ll'itnesses: 

